Where to Rent Kayaks, Canoes, and Paddle Boards Around Ottawa

There’s nothing like spending a day out on the water in summer. Here’s where you can rent a kayak near Ottawa this summer and spend some time on the water. Here’s a list of places in Ottawa and beyond where you can rent canoes, kayaks and paddle boards. From the Ottawa River to Barron Canyon, there are plenty of beautiful sights to see from the water. Have your own canoe, kayak, or paddle board? You can also bring it to these locations.  

Have your own Kayak, canoe or SUP? These are also great spots to launch your own!

See the bottom of the blog for a list of tours and classes available. Make sure to bring money/ID to leave as a deposit and bring a waterproof bag to keep your valuables in.

NEW POST: From scenic trails to island adventures, check out this guide to Ontario Parks near Ottawa that are perfect for kayaking, canoeing and SUP.

Kayak Around Ottawa Jacques-Cartier Park

Downtown Gatineau

Kayak on the Ottawa River with views of Parliament, Ottawa and Gatineau with Escape Rentals. You’ll be able to enjoy Ottawa’s most beautiful landmarks from the water.

Rental Rates:

• SUP: $18.00 for the first hour, and $11.00 for every additional hour.
• Kayaks: One-person kayaks cost $21.00 for the first hour, and $11.00 for every additional hour.
• Two person kayaks cost $33.00 for the first hour, and $12.00 for every additional hour.
• Canoe: $30 for the first hour, $12 for every additional hour

You can also rent bikes here.

Hours: weekends 11 am-6 pm and weekdays by appointment

Kayak Around Ottawa at Dow’s Lake

12 minutes from downtown

Enjoy stunning views of Dow’s Lake on the water. Feeling adventurous? Make your way through the canal towards downtown and back. All rentals include life jackets and paddles. They do also offer group rates.

Rental Rates:

• Pedal Boats: $25.00 for the first hour, $12.00 for every additional hour.
• Deluxe Pedal Boat: $30.00 for the first hour, $12.00 for every additional hour.
• Canoe: $30.00 for the first hour, $12.00 for every additional hour.
• Kayaks: One-person kayaks cost $24.00 for the first hour, and $12.00 for every additional hour.
• Two person kayaks cost $33.00 for the first hour, and $12.00 for every additional hour.
• Paddle Boards: $19.00 for the first hour, $12.00 for every additional hour.

Hours: daily 9 am-9 pm (from May to October)

Interested in swimming? Here’s a guide for places to swim in Ottawa. 

Kayak Around Ottawa on the Rideau River

12 minutes from downtown

Rent a paddle board from Ottawa SUP (1314 Bank Street) and spend an afternoon paddling through the Rideau River.

Rental Availabilities:

• Rigid Boards: $60 – one day (24 hrs), $35 – each additional day, $210 – one week.
• Inflatables: $40 – one day (24 hrs), $25 – each additional day, $160 – one week.

Canoe Around Ottawa at Plein Air Du Lac Leamy

18 minutes from downtown

Rentals are available and they recommend you book a spot in advance here.

Gatineau Park

15 minutes from downtown

You can rent kayaks, canoes, and SUPS at La Peche Lake and Lac Philippe in Gatineau Park. Have your own? I recommend bringing it to Lac Meech.

Rentals available:

• Canoes, kayaks and rowboats: 1,5 hour: $23.25, 2 hours: $28.25, 3 hours: $33.50, 4 hours: $42, Day: $53, 24 hours (canoe camping, La Pêche Lake): $46
• Tandem kayaks and stand up paddleboards (Not available at La Pêche Lake): 1.5 hours: $28.25, 2 hours: $33.50, 3 hours: $40, 4 hours: $47.25, Day: $56
• Boat rentals include two paddles and two life jackets. For extra paddles and life jackets, the charge is $1 per hour or $3 per day

Check Gatineau Park’s website here to see hours. Rentals are on a first come first serve basis.

Britannia Beach

25 minutes from downtown

FYI, this beach is closed until 2021. 

Kayak Around Ottawa in Petrie Island

25 minutes from downtown

Enjoy some time on the water on the east end of Ottawa at Petrie Island. You can rent from Ottawa Marina East.

Rentals available (prices on location): 

• Canoe, Kayaks, Paddle Boards, Row Boats, Pedal Boats

Hours: 8 am-5 pm

Kayak Around Ottawa in Wakefield

30 minutes from downtown

Get a rental at Expeditions Wakefield and then spend a few hours on the water. See how close you can get to the red bridge. They also have a Whale Mega SUP that can hold up to 6 people. You can book your rental ahead of time here. Make a day of it with my guide of Wakefield. Start your day with brunch and then spend a day on the water.

Expedition Wakefield Rental Rates:

• Canoes: $30 – 1 hour, $45 – 3 hours, $80 – full day, $140 – weekend, $300 – weekly
• Kayak: $30 – 1 hour, $45 – 3 hours, $80 – full day, $140 – weekend, $300 – weekly
• Tandem Kayak: $40 – 1 hour, $55 – 3 hours, $90 – full day, $160 – weekend, $300 – weekly
• Paddle Boards: $30 – 1 hour, $45 – 3 hours, $80 – full day, $140 – weekend, $300 – weekly
• Whale Mega SUP (6 people): $100 – 1 hour, $200 – 3 hours, $350 – full day

Hours: 7:00 am to 9:00 pm

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Kayak Around Ottawa in Old Chelsea

30 minutes from downtown Ottawa

Just 5 minutes from Meech Lake, rent a paddleboard from Paddlefit at the Red Shed at the back of 10 Scott Road in Chelsea. You’ll find it between Biscotti and La Cigale, perfect for a bite after being on the water. To make a reservation, email Paddlefit at info@paddlefit.com or call 613-715-2243. See the bottom of this post for info on Paddlefit’s lessons. 

Paddlefit Rental Rates:

• Regular: $30 – 3 hours, $50 – day, $100 – weekend, $200 – week, $30 – weekdays and evenings
• High-Performance Board Rental Rates: $60 – 3 hours, $80 – day, $160 – weekend, $280 – week, $50 – weekdays and evenings

Kayak Around Ottawa in the Ottawa Valley

30 minutes from downtown

Rent from Ottawa Valley Canoe & Kayak and then hit the water and a nearby spot. Local access points include Fitzroy Provincial Park, Mississippi River, White Lake Beach, Robert Simpson Park and more. Check out this map created by Ottawa Valley Canoe & Kayak for more information.

Rental Availabilities: 

• Kevlar Canoe: $55 (1 day), $45 (2-3 days per day), $40 (4-6 days per day), $270 (1 week), $225 (2+ weeks per week)
• Ultralite Canoe: $65 (1 day), $60 (2-3 days per day), $55 (4-6 days per day), $300 (1 week), $280 (2+ weeks per week)
• Recreational Kayak: $50 (1 day), $40 (2-3 days per day), $35 (4-6 days per day), $210 (1 week), $190 (2+ weeks per week)
• Recreational Kayak (2 person): $75 (1 day), $65 (2-3 days per day), $60 (4-6 days per day), $360 (1 week), $325 (2+ weeks per week)
• Touring Kayak: $65 (1 day), $55 (2-3 days per day), $45 (4-6 days per day), $270 (1 week), $250 (2+ weeks per week)

Canoe Near Ottawa at Eco-Odyssey

30 minutes from downtown

Kayak through a 6km water maze. On your way, keep an eye out for different wildlife. I did this a few summers ago and enjoyed canoeing through the marshes. They have multiple adventures you can choose including twilight and moonlight adventures. 

Rentals/Price

• Water maze adventures for family :  $55.00 to $65.00 / paddle boat
• Canoe for 2 :  $40.00 to $55.00 / canoe
• Paddle board (SUP) : $35.00 to $45.00 / paddle board

Hours: 

• Sunday to Thursday: departures between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
• Friday and Saturday: departures between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m.
• Night adventures: departures between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
• Weekends from August 30 to October 11, 2021: Departures between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Kayak Near Ottawa in Kemptville

45 minutes from downtown – OPEN

You can rent from Drifters Outdoors Canoe & Kayak Rentals and kayak on the Rideau River. Rentals available include canoes, kayaks, and SUPS. Make sure to call in advance at (613) 324-0145 and reserve your rental. Prices available on location. 

Kayak Near Ottawa in Montebello

45 minutes from downtown

Fairmont Montebello’s summer activities include renting kayaks, canoes, SUP’s and pedal boats on the section of the Ottawa River their grounds are at. Check out my guide and create your own staycation here. From a beautiful stay and plenty to do on-site, it’s the perfect spot to disconnect and relax.

Kayak Around Ottawa at Rideau Lakes/Rideau Canal

90 minutes from downtown

Explore the Rideau Lakes section of the Rideau Canal with rentals from Rideau Tours. They’re located at Chaffey’s Locks. See below for information on their tours. They’re open May 1-October 26th

Rentals/Price

• Kayaks: $35 – 3 hours, $50 – 8 hours, $200 – 5 days
• Canoes and 2 person kayaks: $50 – 3 hours, $70 – 8 hours, $300 – 5 days
• SUPs: $25 – 1 hour, $35 – 3 hours, $50 – 8 hours

Kayak Near Ottawa in Perth

1 hour from downtown – Open Friday June 12th

Rent from Perth Outfitters and then paddle through the Tay Canal that will take you through the beautiful town of Perth.

Rental Rates:

• Canoes: $30 hourly, $40 half-day, $60 full day, $275 weekly
• Kayaks: $25 hourly, $35 half-day, $50 full day, $250 weekly
• Tandem Kayaks: $30 hourly, $40 half-day, $60 full day, $275 weekly
• Paddle Boards: $25 hourly, $35 half-day, $50 full day, $250 weekly

Kayak Near Ottawa in Gracefield, QC

1 hour and 15 minutes from downtown

Rent from Carpe Diem Adventures and hit the water. With over 3200 lakes and rivers in the Gatineau Valley, there are plenty of beautiful places to see. See below for their tour, overnight and shuttle options. 

Rental Availabilities: 

• Kayak: starting at $15
• Canoe: starting at $43.50
• Paddle Board: starting at $43.50

Kayak Near Ottawa in 1000 Islands

1 hour and 50 minutes from downtown

Discover 1000 islands by kayak. Do a self-guided tour (prices below) or book one of their tours (half-day or full day) and learn about the area through a guide. Book your reservation by contacting them at kayaking@1000ikc.com or call 613-463-9564.

Rental Availabilities:

• Kayak: $55 + tax – half day, $65 + tax – full day
• Tandem Kayak: $95 + tax – half day, $115 + tax – full day

Canoe Through a Canyon At Algonquin Park

2 hours from Ottawa

I cross this experience off my bucketlist last summer and had such a blast. Canoe through a towering canyon at Algonquin Park. You’ll feel so small as you make your way through. This experience took us about 4 hours roundtrip. You can get my full guide to this experience here.

Kayak Near Ottawa At Ragged Falls Provincial Park

3 hours and 30 minutes from Ottawa

This is an amazing day trip if you want to spend a day on the water. You can kayak or canoe to a waterfall for an incredible view. Get all the details on this kayak waterfall adventure here.

Interested in Lessons and Tours?

Even if you’re experienced on the water, tours and classes are a great way to learn new areas, sights and facts. I did a canoe tour in Saint John’s and I learned so much and was able to reach incredible sights I wouldn’t have been confident to venture to alone. There’s also options below of classes to start getting into paddling. 

Stand Up Paddle In Ottawa with Paddle Fit

Choose from beginner, intermediate and advanced paddle lessons and then hit the water with an instructor. Choose lesson locations throughout the capital like Aylmer Marina, Bate Island (white water playground for experienced paddlers), Gatineau River and more. Paddlefit has a great range of classes that include starting out, tours (like lac leamy and rideau falls), SUP fitness or yoga, and more. Their full moon and firework classes caught my eye. Get on the water with a beautiful view overhead. You can see a full list of classes here.

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Kayak Near Ottawa with Rideau Tours – Rideau Lake

You’ll find Rideau Tours located 90 minutes from Ottawa and Chaffey’s Locks. Their tours will take you through the Rideau Lakes section of the Rideau Canal, Ontario’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site. They have multiple tour options available.

Stand Up Paddle Ottawa- throughout the capital

Stand Up Paddle Ottawa offers stand up paddle lessons as well as speciality classes. Take one of their tours like Parliament Paddle and you’ll get an incredible view of Parliament as you paddle through the water. 

Ottawa Sports and Social Club Stand Up Paddle in Ottawa

Dip your feet in the water (literally) with some intro classes from OSSC. They have an intro + explore SUP class available.

Kayak Near Ottawa with Carpe Diem Aventures – Gatineau Valley

Not only can you rent kayaks, canoes and paddle boards near Ottawa but you can also turn it into a staycation. Stay the night camping or in one of their chalets. In the day, explore the Gatineau Valley and enjoy a bite at their bistro. They also have bike rentals available and a shuttle to get you there if needed (reserve in advance).

Canoe Near Ottawa with Énvasion Plein Air – Outaouais

Enjoy sea kayaking on the lakes, rivers and marshes of the Outaouais with Énvasion Plein Air. They have multiple tour packages including Kettle Island, DesChênes lake and Aylmer island, Pinhey Point and more. They also have sunset, sunrise and starry night tours available.